Council fails to settle Fusilero-farmers row

CEBU, Philippines – The City Council was unsuccessful in settling the dispute between farmers from the city’s mountain barangays and retired police general Tiburcio Fusilero.

During the Council’s executive session yesterday, Fusilero strongly denied having hired armed men to harass farmers in barangays Tabunan, Pung-ol-Sibugay, Taptap and Tagbao.

He, however, admitted preventing the farmers from cutting trees within the 504 hectares covered by the Memorandum of Agreement he had entered into with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for a reforestation project in the four barangays.

Fusilero said that since 2000, the government has allowed him conduct a 25-year reforestation project in the four barangays, although the state maintains its jurisdiction, control and supervision of the timberland areas.

He is also reportedly allowed to undertake maintenance and protection of the project, particularly from squatters/encroachment, forest fires, kaingin, illegal resources extraction, pest and diseases, expansion of farm lots and other destructive activities.

Fusilero said that when he started the reforestation project in 40 hectares in 1994, he observed that there were only 12 residents therein, but this number reportedly grew gradually.

He also criticized the reportedly move of some residents in selling their rights of the land.

But the farmers contended it is unfair that they are being prevented from tilling their lands because they have been tilling the state-owned lands since their childhood and that they are the ones paying taxes to the government.

The residents in the four barangays, including Taptap barangay captain Teresita Tabal, said Fusilero’s claims are lies.

“Naa na siya’y balay uy. Namakak sab,” Tabal said.

Still, DENR-7 Regional Executive Director Leonardo Sibballuca encouraged the farmers to first exhaust all administrative remedies provided by law, which the Central Cebu Protected Landscape-Protected Area Management Board is reportedly doing to resolve the conflict.

Vice Mayor Michael Rama who presided the executive session yesterday also asked both parties to “respect each other’s rights.”

The Council summoned the concerned parties after the farmers asked to revoke the MOA Fusilero had entered with DENR during the term of then secretary Antonio Cereles.

Rama said the Council’s committee on environment headed by Councilor Nestor Archival will continue to monitor the issue. – Rene U. Borromeo/JMO (THE FREEMAN)